Wear your sunscreen, kids (Read 1547 times)

Tomorrow my DH goes to the general surgeon to make sure that our PCP removed all traces of the melanoma that was discovered a few weeks back. If need be he may need a lymph node removed, but we are hoping it didn't spread.

A month or two ago I noticed a new mole on my husband's arm. It didn't really *look* like images I had seen of skin cancer (not irregular, raised, or blackish/blueish), but it also raised a red flag because it was new and it caught my eye. After nearly 20 years with the guy a new mark is noticeable, even though he tends towards a lot of moles. This one still was not able to remain incognito. I urged him to get it checked-out and he listened (I think because his mom has had a few spots removed over the years and he lost his dad to cancer, so he knows the risk is real and that no cancer is anything to mess with).

Our PCP removed it and had it tested...and was shocked to find that it was melanoma. He told Derek "thank your wife." He believes it was caught very early, so hopefully it's no longer going to be an issue (and hopefully there will be no need to remove the lymph node or talk further treatment), but now that we know cancer is a reality he'll be undergoing yearly "mapping" of his moles to look for changes.

I know it's only March, but already I have my Spring freckles and light tan lines appearing. It's never too early to lube-up with the best broad-spectrum sunblock you can afford. Tans aren't sexy. Wrinkles aren't sexy, scars from skin cancer removal aren't sexy, and being in fear of one's life or fearing for one's spouse's life from seemingly benign sun exposure is WAY not sexy.

'17 Goals:

• Chemo

• Chemo-Radiation

• Surgery

• Return to kicking my own ass by 2018

She was not strong. She was valiant. Radiant. Brave and broken. The beauty she discovered in the aftermath was unparalleled to anything she had known before, because it had come at such a cost.

Sun protection clothing is also a good idea. 30 years ago I often ran in just t-shirt, shorts and a minimal (painter's) bill cap. No sunblock, and sometimes hours in the sun.

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After having way lots of actinic keratoses (pre-cancerous lesions) treated on my forearms and temples, I recently ended up having both basal-cell and squamous-cell carcinomas surgically removes from my nose and temple.

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These days I wear sun-protection clothing from Sun Precautions Inc. (trademark is "solumbra") and it seems to do the job well. Their SPF 30+ clothing (maintains its protection for over 500 washings in tests) I use is the "ultra athlete" stuff. Exposed skin on nose, temples, etc is where the 60+ or 70+ sport sunblock goes.

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FWIW, the word is that people who freckle easily are especially vulnerable to melanoma. Lucky for me, I freckle not at all.

the art of persuading my bf to get his weird moles checked out has been an effort in futility- i need some advice on how to advise WITHOUT nagging...

on the topic of sunscreens, I'm curious about the brands/spf's you all prefer.....I've been wearing neutrogena spf 85 (waterproof) but ultimately I kinda hate the stuff...it makes my olive skin white-ish and doesn't absorb the way i wish it would. I'd love to find the ultimate in waterproof sunscreen that doesn't burn my eyes when it drips while blocking the rays.

the art of persuading my bf to get his weird moles checked out has been an effort in futility- i need some advice on how to advise WITHOUT nagging...

on the topic of sunscreens, I'm curious about the brands/spf's you all prefer.....I've been wearing neutrogena spf 85 (waterproof) but ultimately I kinda hate the stuff...it makes my olive skin white-ish and doesn't absorb the way i wish it would. I'd love to find the ultimate in waterproof sunscreen that doesn't burn my eyes when it drips while blocking the rays.

Good luck on the first thing...my best friend's DH works in construction, doesn't wear sunscreen, and refuses to get checked. I think finding a good site with photos of cancer and explanations of the risks of ignoring the issue might be a start.

As for recommendations, I'm a fan of the Coppertone Sport spray...the stuff in the aerosol can. It's super easy to apply, even to the middle of my back. Holds up pretty well under sweaty conditions, too. On my face I like the Neutrogena Sport for face (small silver tube). I don't put anything above my eyes, since they ALL end up sweating off and BURNING. But I always wear a ball cap or Headsweat and sunglasses. I keep the sunblock below the level of my face that burns.

The recommendation for clothing with UPF is smart, too. DH and I have been thinking about picking up arm sleeves for on the bike...any recommendations? The Moeben ones look fairly lightweight and breathable. That seems to be the trick--finding sleeves that aren't "arm warmers." We don't want warm, we want sun protection when it's already warm out.

'17 Goals:

• Chemo

• Chemo-Radiation

• Surgery

• Return to kicking my own ass by 2018

She was not strong. She was valiant. Radiant. Brave and broken. The beauty she discovered in the aftermath was unparalleled to anything she had known before, because it had come at such a cost.

Great advice and reminder. I was in a doctors office yesterday talking to a nurse and asked how she was doing and she said not great. She said she has a lot of basal cell cancer spots through out her body that need removal. She said she burned several times as a child and with blisters (regularly). Parents need to be aware!!!

Sorry about your hubby. I am glad you appeared to catch it early. A cancer scare is scarey!!! I know! I pray for a great and quick recovery and no reoccurances!!

Thanks, T...yeah, I know my days are numbered, too. I had several bad burns as a kid...and as a teenager and young adult, when I KNEW better (including blisters on my ears during a track meet--I had my hair pulled-back and forgot to protect my ears). I've often said that for me skin cancer is not an if, but a when. My mom has had a few spots removed and my entire family is pasty-faced Scandinavians and Scots.

What really sealed Derek's fate was likely the summer he worked for my great uncle in Seaquist's Orchard. Driving a tractor around from sunrise to sunset without sunscreen or with minimal sunscreen that wasn't reapplied every couple of hours did him no favors.

'17 Goals:

• Chemo

• Chemo-Radiation

• Surgery

• Return to kicking my own ass by 2018

She was not strong. She was valiant. Radiant. Brave and broken. The beauty she discovered in the aftermath was unparalleled to anything she had known before, because it had come at such a cost.

Good luck today zoomy Good job pushing him to the doctor. My older sister was your typical teenage girl and would use tanning beds religiously even though we were going to Hawaii every summer, and now she's in the dermatologist every month getting all sorts of worrisome marks removed on her shoulders and back. Now she won't go outside for more than a few minutes without high SPF on and always pushing me to keep it on. I have some questionable moles myself, but the doctor that sees my sister as well didn't seem too worried about it, so I'm not worried either.

I also recommend getting one of those goofy hats that has the neck cover. Kinda goofy looking, but very effective for avoiding becoming a redneck. Also, spray on sun-tan for the win. And at least those stupid Twilight movies were good for one thing -- pale is the new tan.

On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

Jeff, the hilarious thing about that hat is that DH used to wear something very similar to that when he did a lot of sailing. We called it the stupid hat. His was cotton...but I like that Outdoor Research one.

'17 Goals:

• Chemo

• Chemo-Radiation

• Surgery

• Return to kicking my own ass by 2018

She was not strong. She was valiant. Radiant. Brave and broken. The beauty she discovered in the aftermath was unparalleled to anything she had known before, because it had come at such a cost.

I also recommend getting one of those goofy hats that has the neck cover. Kinda goofy looking, but very effective for avoiding becoming a redneck. Also, spray on sun-tan for the win. And at least those stupid Twilight movies were good for one thing -- pale is the new tan.

It is almost impossible to find a long billed running (wicking) hat. I don't need those flap things, just something to cover my face.

...and then you get those incredibly hot, icky days where nothing helps. An example: Fanshaw xc meet in September. 32 celcius (94 farenheit), sunny, humid. I wore SPF 50 and I still had tan lines in odd places. Just saying....

with the exception of the type of days named above, where little seems to help, I agree completely. Best to stay covered- especially if you have a family cancer history like mine (a mile long).

P.S. I usually don't tan, purposefully or accidently. Burn, maybe.

'No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everyone on the couch'

"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'" - Peter Maher

"Running long and hard is an ideal antidepressant, since it's hard to run and feel sorry for yourself at the same time. Also, there are those hours of clearheadedness that follow a long run." -Monte Davis

It is almost impossible to find a long billed running (wicking) hat. I don't need those flap things, just something to cover my face.

My dork hat is a Sequel River Hat with an extra-large bill. The top is mesh, with a reflective underlayer. Unfortunately, Sequel is no longer in business. If you come across one of these, grab it because they're rare.

MTA: Zoomy said lube-up.

On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.